Gravity
by CyberChick135
Summary: "Something always brings me back to you,it never takes too long" Sawyer Chase is a young Jaeger pilot alongside her best friend, Willow Lawson. Sawyer and Raleigh were madly in love, but after the death of Yancy, he left Sawyer and the PPDC behind. Five years later the two are reunited at the last remaining Shatterdome, and paired together to pilot one of the last Jaegers standing.
1. The Beginning

**The Beginning**

* * *

 _ **"The city sleeps**_

 _ **So silently**_

 _ **Wish I could say the same for me"**_

 **~Unfair**

* * *

 _"The date was August 10, 2013. A massive earthquake hit my hometown of San Francisco, California. Those phenomenon were common in the state, but this was different from the rest. When the trembling stopped, something emerged from the ocean beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. A monstrous creature 92 meters in height and over 2000 tons in weight, with thick hide and a large ax-like blade on the top of its head. It came to be known as a Kaiju, codenamed 'Tresspasser'. I was only 13 when he came into our world, but it will forever be engraved in my memory._

 _My father was part of the United States Air Force, and they waged war against Tresspasser, getting aid from the British Royal Air Force. Even their combined conventional weapons did nothing to penetrate the hide of the Kaiju._

 _In the end, the fight against Tresspasser lasted six days and it took three nuclear missiles to take him down. During those days the cities of San Francisco, Sacramento, and Oakland were destroyed and thousands were killed. Among them were my parents, my father dying in the assault on Tresspasser and my mother being crushed by debris when our apartment complex fell._

 _After his defeat, the event was memorialized and life moved on. However, another Kaiju; codenamed 'Hundun', attacked Manila six months later, on February 5, 2014, again defeated by a nuclear strike. A third attack on the first of June that same year happened near Cabo San Lucas, the Kaiju responsible was codenamed 'Kaiceph'. Three months later a fourth attacked Sydney Australia, codenamed 'Scissure' on September 5, 2014._

 _In order to combat this threat, the United Nations came together and forged the Pan Pacific Defense Corps; an international alliance of twenty-one countries across the Pacific Rim._

 _I was 15 when I joined up to enter the Jaeger Academy along with the my best friend, Willow Lawson. Throughout our time we continued to impress our instructors by our synchronicity and upon graduation, we were assigned to a newly made Mark-III Jaeger. We decided to name her Silver Wyvern, after my favorite color and Willow's favorite mythical creature. We were stationed in Alaska and that is where I met someone I would come to care about with all my heart and soul. It's where I fell in love._

 _My name is Sawyer Chase, and this is my story."_

* * *

 **A/N: The verse at the beginning is the first few lines of Kate Voegele's song "Unfair". Each chapter will open with a line or verse of her because she's the actress I've chosen to portray my main OC in this story Sawyer Chase.**

 **A/N 2: Thanks for tuning in to this new fic. Reviews are greatly appreciated.**

 **~XOXO Cyber**


	2. From the Frontlines

**From the Frontlines**

* * *

 _ **"Pretty girls, they have it easy**_

 _ **Living the strawberry kiwi life.**_

 _ **Me, I just fill up on coffee**_

 _ **Let the caffeine do the talking"**_

 **~We The Dreamers**

* * *

 _"It's been seven years since the war with the Kaiju started. I've spent those years at the Anchorage Shatterdome, dubbed 'The Icebox', just living day-by-day, waiting for the next Kaiju to surface. Whenever one did enter through The Breach and was near Alaska, one of our Jaeger teams would be deployed to take it out. Sometimes the missions would be solo, other times there would be two Jaegers, depending on how many Kajus came through and what categories they'd be."_

* * *

 **January 22, 2020**

 **8:15 pm**

The Anchorage Shatterdome was heavily populated with members of the Pan Pacific Defense Corp, ranging from pilots to science officers to mechanics. One section was used for dorming purposes, normally pilots of the same Jaeger roomed together, as did some of the mechanics, only high ranking officials roomed alone.

In one of the rooms, a twenty-something female with long, dark hair was making out with her boyfriend, who had short dirty-blonde hair. He was just over six feet in height and weighed about one-eighty while she was around five and a half feet and weighed about one-thirty. Both were PPDC Rangers who piloted different Mark-III Jaegers within the Anchorage Fleet. Their names were Sawyer Chase and Raleigh Becket, and they were madly in love.

Sawyer had her legs on either side of Raleigh's thighs, her hands running up his bare chest to his neck as their tongues were tangled together in a heated kiss. Raleigh wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and rolled over so she was now beneath him. He placed a kiss on her cheek before moving down her neck, interlocking their hands above her head.

A holographic screen appeared on the right wall next to Sawyer's bed as the room became illuminated in a red light. A heavy, slightly annoyed sigh escaped both of their lips as the voice of the tech-chief came over the intercom system, "Silver Wyvern, report to Bay 07, level A-42." he informed. "Kaiju, code name: Thunderbreaker. Category 3. 5700 metric tons."

"Looks like duty calls." Sawyer pushed herself up and swung her legs over the side of her bed, adjusting her bra. She patted Raleigh's knee and got to her feet, grabbing her dark green pilot suit that was draped over the desk chair, slipping it on.

Someone knocked on the outside door, "Yo Sawyer, let's go!" called a woman's voice. "Or else we'll miss all the action."

"Well I'm sure missing some action." Raleigh muttered under his breath, throwing his grey sweatpants back on.

Sawyer giggled as she pulled her hair into a high ponytail, "Sorry babe, guess you'll have to take a cold shower." she shrugged on a black leather jacket with a picture of a silver colored creature with a dragon's head and wings, a reptilian body and legs, and a long tail that ended in the shape of an arrowhead on the back, with her last name 'Chase' sewn into the fabric above in silver lettering.

"What about you?" Raleigh raised a brow, leaning against the bedframe, checking out his girlfriend all suited up.

Sawyer cracked a grin, "I'm gonna channel all my pent up energy into kicking some Kaiju ass." She opened the door to find a redhead woman with brown eyes and around her same age, only a few inches taller standing on the other side, wearing the same Ranger jumpsuit and leather jacket. "Hey Wil."

"Let's go." Willow Lawson, Sawyer's co-pilot and childhood best friend, snapped her fingers and pointed down the hallway. "Or else Echo Saber is going to get all the fun."

"And we can't have that." Sawyer gave a nod to her co-pilot. She turned and kissed Raleigh on the cheek, "Catch ya later."

"Be careful." Raleigh warned, brushing her bangs aside. "I love you." He kept his hand on her cheek, caressing it with his thumb.

"Always am." Sawyer replied with a smile, pecking his lips. "I love you too." The two girls left the dorming area and headed to the highest level of the Shatterdome.

A group of four technicians were waiting for the two girls and began strapping them into their drivesuits.

* * *

 _"In the years Willow and I have been pilots, we've perfected the art of getting suited up as quick as possible, breaking four minutes even to get from our rooms to getting suited into our Drivesuits. After which, we would be secured into our Conn-Pod, the control center for our Jaeger which was also her head. It had the traditional humanoid mecha shape, that was outfitted with a dragon-like helmet. Silver Wyvern was as majestic as she was fierce. Even though we've been pilots going on three years, the rush of the Conn-Pod dropping down the shaft and coupling with the body of the Jaeger still gave us a rush."_

* * *

"Marshall Stacker Pentacost on deck." Tendo Choi alerted the two pilots, behind him stood a dark skinned male wearing a high-ranking uniform.

"Evening ladies." Pentacost addressed. "Your mission is to hold the Miracle Mile between Anchorage and Tokyo, with the assistance of Echo Saber." He turned his attention to Tendo. "Engage pilot-to-pilot protocol."

"Engaging now, sir." Tendo repeated.

Willow and Sawyer exchanged a look and flipped a few of switches inside their Conn-Pod. "Silver Wyvern, ready and aligned, sir." Willow relayed.

"Rangers, prepare for neural handshake." Pentacost ordered.

Officer Choi initiated the countdown protocol, "Starting in fifteen seconds. Fourteen...thirteen...twelve, eleven, ten."

"Ready to step into my head?" Sawyer asked her co-pilot, a grin on her face.

Willow shook her head, "Just keep it PG okay." she chuckled.

Sawyer giggled, "Deal." Both girls closed their eyes and took a deep breath as the countdown came to a halt.

A feminine AI voice came over the intercom system, "Neural handshake initiated."

* * *

 _"The Drift: Jaeger tech based on DARPA jet fighter neural systems. Two pilots, mind-melding through memories with the body of a giant machine. The deeper the bond...the better you fight. And when you've been best friends for as long as Willow and I have...that's what makes us the best female pilot team of the Pan Pacific Defense Corp."_

* * *

"Neural handshake strong and holding." Tendo announced to the rest of the officers.

Sawyer exhaled, raising her arms to mid center, "Right hemisphere calibrating."

"Left hemisphere calibrating." Willow followed, mimicking the brunette's moves.

The girls flexed their fingers and outstretched their arms to the sides before moving them to the center, fists flexed with the right arm raised over the left. The Jaeger mimicked the same movements and pose, the two girls moving in complete syndication. They moved their arms back to their sides, "Silver Wyvern fully calibrated and ready for battle." they spoke in unison.

"Happy hunting ladies." Tendo said over the communication system, a smile on his face, watching as Silver Wyvern was transported out of the Shatterdome.

* * *

 _"The Miracle Mile was the stretch of ocean that all Jaegers were stationed at when a Kajiu signature appeared on LOCCENTs radar. Depending on where the signal was located is what determined which Jaegers were deployed from which Shatterdome. Sometimes the missions would be solo, other times, more than one team would be deployed."_

* * *

As soon as Silver Wyvern approached the dropzone, Echo Saber was already in combat with Thunderbreaker; a large Kaiju that was as bulky as a mammoth and had a hammer-shaped appendage growing from its head.

The helicopters deployed Silver Wyvern and it landed in the ocean. "Echo Saber, stand by for assistance." Willow relayed through the communications. She glanced to the right and gave a nod to Sawyer.

The two girls began to move their legs, left first then right, in perfect synchronization. As they walked in place, working into a jog, the large mecha they piloted picked up speed. Silver Wyvern broke through the waves and engaged in the fight, hitting Thunderbreaker from behind with a series of punches.

The larger creature let out a shriek and swung one of its arms, pushing back Silver Wyvern. The two girls braced themselves for the assault, still standing tall. "Alright, let's show this behemoth what we're made of!" Willow narrowed her eyes and moved her left arm back and opened the palm. Silver's left arm did the same, activating it's Plasma Cannon.

Tunderbreaker used its hammer appendage and sent Echo Saber into the bay, turning its attention to the second Jager. It charged forward, its jaws open. Sawyer raised her right arm, using it to block the beast coming at them. The Kaiju clamped down on the mech's arm, sending surges through Sawyer, who let out a pained scream.

"Willow shoot this damn thing already!" she yelled.

Thunderbreaker headbutted the Jager, giving her pilots a major case of whiplash. Willow fired off the plasma cannon, sending the pulses right into the underbelly of the beast. After using up all its shots, Willow deactivated the cannon and swung a left uppercut, sending the beast into the ocean.

"Nice shot Wil!" Sawyer praised, smiling at her co-pilot. Tunderbreaker's wail got their attention, seeing the massive beast still standing. "Gotta hand it to him, he's a resilient bastard."

The two girls braced themselves when they caught the alien beast charging at them again. Even though they caught it, the hammer appendage did damage the torso of their Jaeger, knocking the wind right out of the girls. The pressure of the Kaiju started to dent the metal of Silver Wyvern's body, the girls struggling to hold the beast in place.

"Hang on Silver!" came the voices of Echo Saber's pilots. A few seconds later, Thunderbreaker was pulled off Silver, letting out another waling growl.

"Thanks Echo!" Sawyer and Willow relayed.

"Okay, now to deal with that damn hammer." Sawyer extended her right arm, and reached behind, grabbing their secret weapon sheathed in the back of Silver Wyvern. "Deploying Sword."

A large, thick chain unraveled and stiffened in the left arm of the Jaeger. Once the fist clenched around it, the sword began to crackle with energy. Willow and Sawyer exchanged a glance and a wide grin, before breaking into a run. Together, they moved their arms, Silver raising hers, before swinging the sword across the head of the Kaiju, severing its hammer-like appendage.

The Kaiju made a move to bite Silver's arm, but the sword came back and became it's new target. Using her right arm, Silver Wyvern held Thunderbreaker in place as the two Jaegers charged their plasma cannons and fired shots into its back and underbelly. From their Conn-Pod, the two girls could see the light dimming from the Kaiju's eyes before it fell into the water...dead.

"Damn." Willow sighed. "That one was brutal."

"You said it sister." Sawyer agreed.

"Great job ladies." came Tendo's voice over communications.

"Chase. Lawson." followed Marshall Pentacost's voice, "You've sustained damage to your right arm and torso, and there appears to be a small tear in your fuel line." he relayed. "You're closer to the Tokyo Shatterdome, go there for repairs and medical check-ups. I'll send choppers to retrieve you after fortey-eight hours."

"Yes sir." replied Sawyer and Willow. Silver Wyvern trudged through the ocean following Echo Saber to a point where they would be picked up and transferred back to the Tokyo Shatterdome.

* * *

 _"Willow and I spend more than two days in Tokyo, due to a severe storm grounding flights from Alaska. We spent close to five days in our sister Shatterdome, getting better acquainted with the pilots there, specifically Echo Saber. Our injuries from our fight weren't that serious, just some concussions and bruised bones. My right arm was a bit tender for a few days, but returned to normal in no time."_

* * *

Sawyer sat at a desk in the medical wing, her legs crossed as she leaned back in the chair. "Yeah, due to the storm that's coming in, all flights have been grounded." she said into the phone she held to her ear. "So, guess I have to wait a few more days until I see you."

"And here I had this whole date planned out already." Raleigh joked on the other line. "Guess I've got to cancel those reservations."

Sawyer pouted, "Damn shame." she chuckled.

"Well, what's a few more days, really?" questioned Raleigh, who was laying in his room at the Alaska Shatterdome. "It'll just make it that much better when I hold you in my arms again." He smiled as he imagined just that, holding the woman that he loves once more.

"Yeah, you're right about that." Sawyer agreed, also smiling. She closed her eyes and imagined walking back into the Alaskan Shatterdome, where Raleigh would be waiting. She would run into his arms and embrace him tightly, her feet being lifted off the ground as her boyfriend returned the embrace. They'd gaze into eachother's eyes for a long moment, before leaning in close and sharing a kiss, one that would express more than words could describe. "Three more days."

"Three more days." Raleigh repeated. "Just three more days."

"They'll be here and gone in no time." Sawyer promised, still smiling.

There was a minute of silence before Raleigh's voice spoke the words, "I love you, Sawyer Chase."

Sawyer closed her eyes, letting those words sink in. "I love you too, Raleigh Beckett." she echoed.

* * *

 _"Of course, those three days came and went. But, when Willow and I landed back in Anchorage, what happened was nothing like I had imagined. In those three days, another Kaiju, code-named Knifehead, had come through the Breach, and Gipsy Danger was deployed to combat it. Gipsy Danger was the Jaeger that Raleigh piloted alongisde his older brother Yancy. During that fight, Knifehead heavily damaged Gipsy, severing it's left arm and tearing through the Conn-Pod, killing Yancy, and leaving Raleigh to pilot solo. Somehow, he managed to kill Knifehead and return to shore, which was an amazing feat. However, Raleigh left the Defense Corp shortly after._

 _I spent the next three years waiting to hear from him, whether it be by phone, e-mail, or a letter, but nothing ever came. It took another year to get over my heartbreak and move on, but the pain still remained. I had to accept that the man I loved was not coming back. I still had my mission, and that was what mattered now._

 _However, fate was cruel to me six months later..."_

* * *

 **A/N: I know it's been like a year since I published this story, but hey, life happens. I'll try to be a bit more consistent with updates. I have other stories in the works as well, and I'm trying to update my more popular ones. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this chapter. The next one and future ones will follow the events of the first** _ **Pacific Rim**_ **film. If you guys would like me to write a sequel following the events of** _ **Uprising**_ **, let me know in reviews or a private message.**

 **Also, to clarify the two actress for Sawyer and Willow are...**

 **Kate Voegel as Sawyer Chase**

 **Danneel Ackles as Willow Lawson**


	3. Five Years Later

**Five Years Later...**

* * *

 **"Hey you there, keep your distance**

 **Don't you come around here**

 **Don't test my patience baby**

 **Cause I ain't gonna let you off easy."**

 **~No Good**

* * *

 _"It's been five years since Raleigh left me and the Pan Pacific Defense Corp behind. It took three of those five years to accept he'd never return. It took another year to get over the heartbreak of losing the man I loved. Six months later, I lost something else..._

 _Willow and I still continued piloting Silver Wyvern whenever a Kaiju came through the Breach. A large category four came through and attacked Kuching, Malaysia. Three Jagers were deployed to take it out as it was the biggest they've seen since the Breach opened. Silver was the second on scene, and that Kaiju was huge, maybe a size and a half bigger than Thunderbreaker. It somehow managed to completely total Mammoth Apostle in under two hours._

 _With Mammoth down and her pilots dead, it was up to Willow and I to hold our own until backup arrived. That was the most brutal fight of our career, and it would be our last. Our fight with Ridgestriker lasted about three hours, and two of those I spent piloting Silver alone. Willow had been knocked loose from her harness and fell unconscious after being forcefully disengaged, which left me the only hope for us to survive._

 _Just as I was about to pass out from the strain of solo-piloting, our backup arrived. If it hadn't been for Striker Eureka, Willow and I would be dead, but thanks to them, we survived. Silver Wyvern was too heavily damaged and the repairs she would need would take millions of dollars that the Government wouldn't pay. So, she was sent to the Jaeger Graveyard where all decommissioned and destroyed Jagers go._

 _Willow and I both stayed on with the Pan Pacific Defense Corp, just in different divisions. Willow joined up with the K-Science crew and I led up the Jaeger Mechanics, specifically co-heading the Mark-III Restoration Program. She and I were both relocated to Hong Kong when the Anchorage Shatterdome was closed down._

 _A year into working in Hong Kong, Marshall Pentacost began working on his plan Operation Pitfall, which would be our final assault on the Breach. Little did I know that his plan involved bringing back someone I thought I would never see again..."_

* * *

After being found in Sitka, Alaska working on the Anti-Kaiju Wall, Raleigh reluctantly followed Marshall Pentacost to his helicopter, thus re-joining the Pan Pacific Defense Corp. The whole flight back to Hong Kong, Raleigh stared at a single photograph; one of him with Sawyer, both of them in formal wear. The photo captured two of them in the middle of a dance, with his arms around her lower back and hers around his neck, the two gazing into eachother's eyes.

When the chopper landed, the two were greeted by a young Asian woman with short, black hair. "Mr. Becket, this is Mako Mori." Stacker introduced the two. "One of our brightest. Also one of those in charge of the Mark-III Restoration Program."

Mako looked over Raleigh before addressing the Marshall in her native language, saying Raleigh didn't look the way she expected. The former pilot understood her, and asked, in Japanese, if she expected better or worse.

Stacker led them into the Shatterdome, followed by two K-Science officers. "We will tour the facility first then we will show you to your Jaeger." Stacker informed. The five crammed into an elevator, along with a couple large glass cylinders containing Kaiju organs.

"Stay back." ordered the younger of the two doctors, "Kaiju specimens are extremely rare. So look but don't touch, please."

"Mr. Becket, this is our research team." Stacker informed, "Dr. Gottlieb-" he motioned to the slightly older one, wearing a heavy parka, "-and Dr. Geiszler."

"Call me Newt." Geiszler insisted, "Only my mother calls me Doctor." he chuckled, shrugging off his leather jacket. "Hermann, these are human beings. Why don't you say hello."

Dr. Gottlieb removed his parka, annoyed at the fact his colleague addressed him by his first name, "I have asked you not to refer to me by my first name around others." he reminded, "I am a doctor with over ten years of decorated experience."

Newt just shook it off and rolled up his sleeves, revealing his arms that were covered in tattoos of various Kaiju from over the years, "Who is that, Yamarashi?" Raleigh questioned, looking at the tattoo near Newt's left forearm.

"Oh, this little Kaiju?" Newt pointed to the same one, earning a nod from Raleigh, "Yeah, you got a good eye."

"My brother and I took him down in 2017." the former pilot informed.

"You know he was one of the biggest Category threes ever?" Newt sighed in slight awe, "He was 2500 tons of awesome." That comment earned a raised brow from the former Jaeger pilot, along with a deadpanned look, "Or awful. You know, whatever you wanna call it."

"Please excuse him." Gottlieb cut in with a roll of his eyes, "He's a Kaiju groupie. He loves them."

"Shut up, Hermann, I don't love them, okay?" Newt clarified, "I study them. And unlike most people, I wanna see one alive and up close one day."

The elevator stopped and Stacker and Mako stepped through the open doors. Raleigh placed his hand on Newt's shoulder, "Trust me, you don't wanna." He stepped off the elevator and followed the Marshall, his hands in his pockets, "So that's your Research Division?"

"Things have changed. We're not an army anymore, Mr. Becket." Stacker stood back as another door opened leading to the main bay of the Shatterdome. "We're the resistance." He led Raleigh through the large bay area, the former pilot in shock over what he saw. The Marshall pointed to large clock over the doors they just came through, "War clock. We reset it after every Kaiju attack. Keeps everyone focused. The frequency of attacks is accelerating."

"How long till the next reset?" Raleigh asked as they continued to tour the Shatterdome.

"A week, if we're lucky." Pentacost answered. "My experts believe there'll be a Kaiju attack even before that."

Out of the corner of his eye, Raleigh caught a glimpse of a familiar face, a woman a year or two older than him with blonde hair that fell to her shoulder blades and wearing a white doctor's coat. "Rosalie?" he called, getting her attention.

The doctor turned in the direction she heard her name and gasped, "Raleigh." the two met halfway and embraced one another. "Oh man, it's good to see you." Rosalie sighed, pulling back.

"Great to see you too, sis." Raleigh echoed, smiling down at his sister-in-law. He looked down at the little girl holding onto Rosalie's arm. She had dark brown hair and blue-green eyes.

Rosalie looked down and smiled at her daughter, "Clara sweetie, this is your Uncle Raleigh." she said in a soft voice.

Raleigh knelt down eye-level with the seven-year old, in awe at how much she grew. "Hey Clara." he greeted with a smile, "I know you probably don't remember me. Last time I saw you, you were such a little thing."

Clara looked over the man before her, remembering his face from various pictures her mother had shown her over the years. Raleigh smiled down at his neice before standing tall and looking to Rosalie, "She's beautiful Rose." he complemented. "I see some of Yancy in her."

"As do I." Rosalie agreed, twisting the silver band she wore on her left hand.

Dr. Rosalie Beckett and Clara followed behind the Marshall, Mako, and Raleigh as they continued the little tour. They approached the bay section where the remaining Jaegers stood. A woman's voice caught Raleigh's attention and he froze, his head turning in the direction he heard it.

"Get the coolent to the Jaeger in the restoration bay now!" ordered a tall brunette woman. She wore light colored jeans, a black tank top, and dark brown combat boots. "If you don't, her nuclear reactor will overheat and then explode. If that happens, we'll all be dead, which means this war for humanity ends." The tech she was berated gave a nod and pushed a large trolley away from his superior.

The brunette sighed heavily, running her hand through her hair, pushing it over her left shoulder, which revealed a set of three claw marks over her right shoulder. Beside her was a red-haired woman around her age in a wheelchair.

Raleigh had to blink a couple of times before realizing he wasn't dreaming. Just a few yards away stood the woman he was crazy in love with. The woman who's face haunted his dreams every night.

"Auntie Sawyer! Auntie Willow!" Clara called, breaking into a run towards the two Rangers.

They both turned around and smiled at the little girl. Clara wrapped her arms around Sawyer's waist as the former pilot wrapped her arm around the young girl's shoulders. Willow smiled down at Clara before her eyes drifted up, meeting Raleigh's.

"Ranger Lawson. Ranger Chase." Stacker addressed as he, Mako, Rosalie, and Raleigh approached the two girls.

"Sir." they both replied, looking to their commanding officer. That's when Sawyer caught sight of Raleigh, and her brown eyes went wide. "You must be desperate Marshall."

* * *

 _"I remember my heart falling into my stomach the moment my eyes met Raleigh's. It was like I'd been punched in the stomach, all the heartache I had endured the past five years came flooding back. Raleigh looked just as I remembered him, and it felt like my heart was in a vice grip."_

* * *

"This complex used to lodge thirty Jaegers in five bays just like this one." Stacker informed, as the group walked through the bay.

"Now we only have four Jaegers left." Sawyer added, now sporting her Silver Wyvern jacket over her tank top and her dog-tags dangled between her breasts.

Raleigh looked around, "I didn't know it was this bad." he muttered.

"It is that bad." Willow stated, pushing herself between Raleigh and Sawyer.

"Crimson Typhoon, China." Sawyer pointed to a Jaeger covered in red metal, "Full Titanium core, no alloys. Fifty diesel engines per muscle strand. A deadly precise fighter." As they passed by Crimson, its pilots played a game of basketball, "She's piloted by the Wei Tang brothers. Triplets."

"They've successfully defended Hong Kong port seven times." Stacker continued, "They use the Thundercloud formation."

"Hell, yeah. Triple-arm technique." Raleigh noted, only glancing at the Jaeger. His attention was mostly on Sawyer, who kept her eyes everywhere but on him.

A second Jaeger came through another set of bay doors, passing right by Pentacost, Mako, and the three pilots. "Cherno Alpha." Sawyer sighed, admiring the Russian Jaeger. "First generation Mark-I. The heaviest and oldest Jaeger in the service, and one hell of a brutal war machine." She looked up and down Cherno, pursing her lips together, "Man, I'd love to crawl up in there and see what makes her tick. She's a beauty alright."

Raleigh's lips curled into a smile, seeing Sawyer's eyes light up at the sight of the Jaeger. He knew that she loved the mechanical side of the service and that if she wasn't a pilot, she'd be the head mechanic.

"Sasha and Aleksis Kaidanovsky." Willow motioned to the the husband and wife duo that walked in front of their Jaeger.

"Yeah, I've heard of them." Raleigh nodded, sparring a glance at them as they passed by. "Perimeter patrol, Siberian wall."

"On their watch it stayed unbreached for six years." Stacker added.

The last Jaeger they came across was Striker Eureka, who's pilots had just landed not long after the Marshall and Raleigh. "Herc! Chuck!" Stacker called, as they made their way over. "Gentlemen, welcome to Hong Kong!"

The older pilot, Hercules Hansen, met them halfway, holding onto the leash of an English Bulldog named Max, who ran straight for Mako. "Don't drool over Miss Mori." Herc ordered his dog, "Sees a pretty girl and he gets all wound up."

"Raleigh, this is Hercules Hansen, an old friend from the Mark-I glory days." the Marshall introduced as Herc shook Raleigh's hand.

"I know you, mate. We rode together before." Herc remembered, giving a nod to Raleigh.

"We did, sir." Raleigh confirmed, "Six years ago. My brother and I. It was a three Jaeger team drop.

"Manila, 2019." Willow elaborated. "We were there too." She jabbed Raleigh in the ribs.

Herc gave a nod to Willow and Sawyer, and offered condolences to Raleigh on his brother's death. "Striker here also covered us a year ago in Malaysia." Sawyer added, shaking his hand. "Thanks again."

"Anytime." The Australian pilot nodded.

"Herc and his son Chuck'll be running point using Striker Eureka." Stacker explained.

"Wait, running point on what?" Raleigh asked, facing the Marshall. "You haven't told me what I'm doing here yet."

Willow and Sawyer both looked to their commanding officer. Stacker stood tall and calm, "We're going for the Breach, Mr. Becket." he informed. "We're gonna strap a 2400 pound thermonuclear warhead to Striker's back. Detonate an equivalent of 1.2 million tons of TNT. And you and two other Jaegers will be running defense for them."

"Thought we were the resistance." Raleigh recalled. "Where'd you get something that big?"

Sawyer chuckled, making Raleigh turn his attention back to her. "See the Russians back there?" she motioned back towards the bay Cherno Alpha was loaded into. "They can get us anything."

"Well then, shall we?" Willow cleared her throat, looking from Stacker to Herc. The two men nodded and they walked on either side of her as they made their way back to the lab that Drs Gottlieb and Geiszler shared.

* * *

 _"After Willow left with Pentacost and Hansen, Mako headed out to the J-Tech deck, leaving me alone with my ex. Raleigh followed me to the bay where the final Jager was, and it was one he knew all too well."_

* * *

"Gipsy Danger." he sighed, dropping his bags and leaned against the railing. "God, she's so beautiful. She looks like new."

Sawyer cracked a smile, "She's better than new. She has a double-core nuclear reactor." she informed, standing beside Raleigh.

He overlooked his former Jaeger, seeing that she had a bit more detail than the last time he saw her. "Although, she looks a little different."

"That's because her new upgrades were taken from what was left of Silver." Sawyer elaborated, looking at Raleigh, their eyes meeting for the first time.

"What happened to Silver?" he asked, seeing a hint of sadness in his ex-girlfriend's eyes.

Sawyer bit her lip and looked down, flexing her fingers over the railing. "Last year in Malaysia, she was heavily damaged." she answered, "Her repairs would cost way more than the Government would consider paying for, so she-" her breath hitched in her throat. "Besides, even if the Government was willing to pay, she'd have no one to pilot her."

"Malaysia was a tough fight." Raleigh noted, earning a look of surprise from Sawyer. "I caught it on the news."

The brunette nodded and bit her lip, looking away from him, "And yet you still didn't bother to call." she mumbled.

* * *

 _"I held myself together, not wanting to fall apart after I spent years trying to piece myself together after Raleigh left me. I further explained Gipsy's new upgrades and Raleigh seemed impressed. After leaving the Jaeger bay, I led him to the dorming area and on the way, he asked about my last battle against Ridgestriker, and I told him that basically it was that fight that caused Willow to be paralyzed, and that I piloted Silver solo for the better part of two hours before Striker came and saved our lives. When we turned down the hall, it hit me that Raleigh's room was right across from mine. As if things couldn't have gotten any worse."_

* * *

"So, since Malaysia you've been head of the J-Tech mechanics?" Raleigh asked, setting his bags down in his room.

"Pretty much." Sawyer answered, leaning against the doorframe. "I haven't stepped foot in a Jaeger since then."

Raleigh took out a stack of photographs and set them aside. He leaned against the wall, keeping his eyes glued to the woman across from him, "You one of the candidates tomorrow?" he hoped she would be, only to have the opportunity to spend more time with her and hopefully they could get back to how they used to be, which was something Raleigh wanted.

Sawyer shook her head, "Nope." she saw the disappointment cross Raleigh's face. "I can't step foot into a Jaeger again. I could run the risk of having a seizure. The toll I took solo-"

"I understand." Raleigh cut her off. Sure, he was disappointed that Sawyer couldn't be his new partner, but if it meant putting her health at risk, that was okay. He'd rather have her alive.

"Mako selected the candidates for tomorrow. The list is solid, I'm sure you'll find the right co-pilot." Sawyer never made direct eye contact with him. "She and I also studied your fighting techniques and strategy. She wanted my second opinion since I fought alongside you a couple times."

Raleigh cracked a smile, "And what did you think?"

Sawyer shrugged, "You're unpredictable." she stated bluntly, her arms folded across her chest. "You have a habit of deviating from standard combat techniques, and you take dangerous risks. Honestly, she believes you're not the right man for this mission." Sawyer licked her lips and leaned off the doorframe, "And I'm inclined to believe her. This plan is our last shot to end this war. We can't have any wildcards in play."

As she explained, Raleigh closed the distance between them. He was now only a few inches from Sawyer and his blue eyes met her brown ones. "You always were brutally honest. Nice to know that hasn't changed." he smiled down at her, noticing a small scar between her hairline and eyebrow on the right side of her face. "You might be right about the wildcard thing. But you also know that in combat, you make decisions in a split second, and you have to live with the consequences."

"Don't I know it." Sawyer agreed. She noticed closeness between them and stepped back. She sighed and licked her lips, "Your compatibility trials begin at 0600 tomorrow." On that note she turned her back to him and headed into her own room, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

 _"I spent a good hour or so pacing in my room after that conversation. The whole time we talked, a part of me wanted to beat him with my bare hands, while another part just wanted to slam that door shut and take him to bed. I jumped into the small shower and let the cold water run over my body as I tried to sort out what I was feeling. My head was saying keep your distance, he left you without a word and shattered your heart. While my heart was telling me that my feelings hadn't changed and to give him one more chance._

 _In the end I decided to push all feelings aside and just focus on what was truly important, and that was making sure that Crimson Typhoon, Cherno Alpha, Striker Eureka, and Gipsy Danger were at 200 percent for Marshall Pentacost's final plan for ending this war."_

* * *

 **A/N: Just a quick bit of information here; the character Dr. Rosalie Beckett is actually Yancy's wife. They married prior to the events of the film. Clara is their daughter who was around two at the time of Yancy's death. Clara being introduced in this story is important because she'll follow in her father's footsteps in the sequel film** _ **Uprising**_ **. If ya'll would like me to write a sequel based on said film, say so in reviews. I'd love to hear what you've got to say.**

 **Also, shoutout to NicholeR85 for keeping up with updates and reviews!**

 **Cast:**

 **Rebecca Romijn as Dr. Rosalie Beckett**

 **India Eisley as Clara Beckett**


	4. Compatibility Trials

**Compatibility Trials**

* * *

 **"So now I find denial in my eyes**

 **I'm mesmerized by the picture that's in my mind..."**

 **~Wish You Were**

* * *

 _"I stood between Mako and Willow as we watched Raleigh's compatibility trials along with Marshall Pentacost. As we observed each match, Mako would ask my opinion and I'd give it to her. From what I could see so far, none of the candidates were even close to par with Raleigh. Willow kept telling me that I should go in the ring to test compatibility, and I kept telling her I couldn't. She knew why too, and even if it wasn't medical, my feelings were still so out of whack that I don't think Raleigh and I could get a stable Drift connection."_

* * *

Sawyer had her arms folded over her chest, wearing her Silver Wyvern jacket over a navy blue tank top, black jeans and her combat boots. Her dog-tags rested between her breasts and her wavy brown locks were pulled into a low ponytail. Her eyes were focused on Raleigh as he fought against his opponent.

On her left was Willow, who wore her Silver Wyvern jacket over an army-green tank top with charcoal grey jeans and her black combat boots. Like Sawyer's, Willow's dog-tags rested between her breasts, but her red hair fell straight over her shoulders.

"Four points to zero." Mako jotted down on her clipboard, as the match concluded.

Match two took place and was over just as quickly as the previous ten. Willow gave a nod to Sawyer, who just rolled her eyes. "Four points to one." Mako again wrote down the outcome.

The next match lasted a little bit longer than the ones before, but ended just the same. Sawyer shook her head, a smirk across her lips. "Four points to two." she said to Mako.

"Okay, what?" Raleigh leaned against his bo-staff, his eyes on Sawyer and Mako. "You don't like them? I thought you selected them personally." he spared a glance at Mako before moving his eyes on Sawyer. "Every time a match ends you make this little gesture-" he mimicked the expression the brunette pilot made earlier, "-like you're critical of their performance."

"It's not their performance, it's yours." Sawyer rebuked, her brown eyes narrowing into a glare, "You could have taken all of them two moves earlier."

"You think so?" Raleigh challenged, raising his eyebrow.

Sawyer's smirk changed into a smile, "I know so." Willow could practically feel the tension between them, and the corner of her lips turned upward.

"Okay then, care to give it a shot?" Raleigh smirked, pointing his staff at Sawyer.

"Excuse me?" Sawyer quirked her brow.

Seeing the hint of uncertainty in her eyes, Raleigh amped up the challenge, "What's the matter, Sawyer? Think you can't cut it in the ring with me?" The brunette's jaw fell slack at the accusation, "The Sawyer Chase that I know and love would never turn down a challenge."

Immediately Sawyer shrugged off her jacket and handed it to Willow. "I'm gonna make you eat those words." she muttered under her breath, taking her hair out of the ponytail as she approached the mat. Sawyer whistled to one of the candidates and he tossed her a staff.

Sawyer toed out of her boots and brushed her bangs to the side, her eyes set on Raleigh, who stood opposite her. "Four strikes marks a win." Marshall Pentacost reminded, as the two former pilots walked towards eachother.

"Remember, it's about compatibility." Raleigh said as he walked past Sawyer, "It's a dialogue, not a fight." he glanced over his shoulder, "But I'm not gonna dial down my moves."

Sawyer grinned, "Works for me." she replied, spinning on her heel to face him. "Because I sure as hell wasn't gonna dial down mine." She twirled her staff around her body, holding it at an angle behind her, her brown eyes locked on Raleigh.

* * *

 _"Deep down I knew this match was a bad idea, but I was never one to back down from a challenge. I cursed Raleigh for pointing that out and claiming that he still loved me. If that were true, he never would've left me. Of course, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't push old memories out as Raleigh and I fought eachother. And it didn't help that he was wearing a white tank that showed off his muscles, and covered in sheen of sweat which made him look more attractive."_

* * *

Raleigh's eyes never left Sawyer's as he advanced, swinging his staff and having it land an inch from her face. "One-zero." he stated simply.

Sawyer retaliated by knocking her staff against his, pushing him back a few paces and landing it closer to Raleigh's face, their eyes locked on one another's. "One-one." she updated, her expression neutral.

She stepped back, holding her staff at angle by her right hip, similar to a sword. Raleigh immediately struck back, tapping Sawyer's ass with his bo-staff. "Two-one." he countered with a smirk on his face. "Concentrate, babe."

Him saying the word 'babe' struck a chord within Sawyer, reminding her how weak in the knees she felt every time Raleigh used to say that to her. A brief memory flashed in her head of the two of them in bed, wrapped up in the blankets with his arm around her as he caressed the bare skin of her back, muttering the words "I love you, babe." against her hair.

Sawyer shook off the memory, blocking Raleigh's next move. She pushed him back, spinning once and bringing the staff down right near his face, halting it half an inch from the bridge of his nose, "Two-two." she smirked, twirling her staff around her wrist, "Better watch it."

* * *

 _"As the match drew on, more old memories resurfaced. The more they did, the faster my heart began to beat. With every knock of the staffs, I'd see flashes of Raleigh and me; whether it be us sitting in the Icebox mess hall laughing with Yancy and Rosalie, along with an infant Clara, or the two of us alone in bed together tangled up in the covers with his arms around me and my head on his chest."_

* * *

Sawyer and Raleigh continued to match eachother strike for strike, sexual tension filled the air. The two pilots circled one another, with Sawyer making the first move. She managed to flip Raleigh over her shoulder and her staff came down over his left shoulder, their eyes meeting. "Three-two."

Raleigh struck back, this time putting his ex-girlfriend on the defensive. He dodged one of her strikes and knocked her off-balance, the end of his staff coming down eye-level with her. "Three-three." he smiled.

* * *

 _"Raleigh's smile still had the same effect on me, making my heart flutter in my chest. Of course, I would never let that show. Raleigh and I appeared to be evenly matched, as our fight lasted twice as long as the others."_

* * *

Willow watched as the two former lovers went back at it. Whichever one landed the next hit would win. She glanced to her right at Mako and Marshall Pentacost, the three of them all having the same idea; that Sawyer and Raleigh were Drift Compatible.

Knowing the next point was match over, Raleigh and Sawyer went at it. They matched eachother strike for strike, their eyes locked with eachother's. Raleigh's strikes were forceful, while Sawyer's were calculated. She spun around to avoid his advances, blocking them almost effortlessly. A grin spread across her lips as she looped her staff under his arm and threw him over her shoulder, rolling over and pinning him to the mat. Her legs straddled his waist and she held her staff over his throat, staring down into his blue eyes. Raleigh looked up at her and smiled. Both of them were breathing heavily, almost panting.

* * *

 _"I felt my cheeks flush when I realized what position we were in. The sounds of our heavy breathing brought me back to all those nights we spent together. I remembered how it felt to have his hands caressing my skin. The feel of his lips on mine. His strong arms holding me. How our bodies molded together, as if they were made for eachother. How content I felt when he held my body close to his as I fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat."_

* * *

Sawyer immediately jumped to her feet, running her hand through her hair as she caught her breath. Her skin was covered in a sheen of sweat, making her tank top stick to her body. Raleigh got to his feet, his eyes never leaving her. He too remembered everything from their past relationship, and it still made his heart beat faster than normal.

They both didn't realize the crowd watching them was applauding, until it stopped. Stacker cleared his throat, getting the two Rangers' attention. "I've seen what I need to see."

"Me too." Raleigh nodded in agreement. He looked over and placed his hand on the small of Sawyer's back. "She's my co-pilot."

Sawyer's head whipped in his direction. She looked into his eyes and bit her lip, shaking her head. "No." she replied, dropping her staff to the ground. She ran off the mat, grabbing her boots as she went. As she passed by Willow, she took back her Silver Wyvern jacket, shrugging it back on.

"Sawyer!" Raleigh called after her, but she was already gone.

* * *

 _"My head was racing as I left the Combat Room. I heard Raleigh call my name, but didn't bother to look back. All those memories came flooding back, along with feelings I thought to have buried or forgotten."_

* * *

Sawyer ran her hands through her hair, brushing it back as she leaned against the wall of the dorming area to catch her breath. She slipped her boots back on, kneeling down to tie them. Her hands were shaking as she played through her match with Raleigh. She knew they were Drift Compatible. She could feel it, deep in her gut. She just couldn't bring herself to step foot in another Jaeger, not after what happened to her in Malaysia.

"Sawyer!" Raleigh ran up to her, startling her. "What was all that about?" He asked. As he took a step towards her, she backed away, trying to keep the distance, her back against the steps leading to her dorm. "I mean, I'm not crazy. You felt it, right? We are Drift Compatible."

"I felt it." Sawyer mumbled, licking her lips. "But, it doesn't matter. I can't step foot in a Jaeger again." She turned and tried to open the door. "Damn door." she cursed.

Raleigh lightly chuckled, seeing how flustered she was getting. "That's my room." he told her.

Sawyer took a ragged breath, turning around and going to her dorm, her shoulder brushing against Raleigh's upper bicep as she passed him. He kept his eyes on her the whole time, following her. "Sawyer. Hey." Raleigh closed the distance between them, his hand closing around her wrist, trapping her between the door and him. "I know you feel it too. And I'm not talking about Drift Compatibility." He tried to meet her eyes, but she looked away. "Sawyer." Raleigh reached out and cupped her cheek, moving her face to meet his own. "This. Us." he smiled and caressed her cheekbone, feeling the skin beneath his palm get warmer. "It's worth fighting for." Raleigh moved his hand from Sawyer's wrist to intertwine their fingers. "I still love you, Sawyer." he gently squeezed her hand. "And I can tell that you still love me."

Sawyer pulled away from him. She leaned back against her dorm door open, her eyes still locked with Raleigh's. "I can't do this Raleigh." she said through a ragged breath. Sawyer turned and pushed her door open.

Raleigh could see the look of fear in Sawyer's eyes, and his own heart constricted. He reached out and grabbed her arm, halting her from entering the dorm. "Would you at least tell me what it is you're afraid of?" he asked. Sawyer looked over her shoulder, and Raleigh stepped closer to her, an inch or two separating them. "C'mon So, we used to share everything with eachother. Not just a bed." he brushed some loose hair behind her ear. "Tell me, what are you afraid of?"

Sawyer swallowed the lump in her throat. She shook her head and stepped inside her room, shutting the door behind her. Her body slumped against it, her breathing ragged and shallow as she let the moisture in her eyes fall down her cheeks.

Raleigh still stood on the step in front of Sawyer's door, "I'm not giving up on us Sawyer." he promised, hoping she even heard him. "This is worth fighting for. We are worth fighting for."


End file.
